Chapter 5: A Latte ending. Really?
Zoya was walking lost in her own thoughts when she suddenly collided with someone. She muttered a sorry and as she looked up her expression changed, it was Tanveer. The burning pain returned in her heart as she watched Tanveer smirking at her. As a coolness spread through her body, she looked down only to see drink spilled in her dress. She looked up and saw the empty glass in Tanveer's hand. It didn't take much time for her to understand that Tanveer ended spilling her drink in her dress as they collided. Tears of humiliation stung in her eyes as she suddenly became aware of her appearance.
"Tsk tsk tsk... Poor girl. This is what happens when you walk lost in thought about some guy you can never have. I feel pity for you. How hard it will be for middle class people like you na..."
Tanveer's each and every word stabbed Zoya's heart as she once again faced the reality. She excused herself and ran away.
Asad was noticing Zoya's each and every moment when he saw her bumping to Tanveer. He also saw how stealthily Tanveer spilled her drink in Zoya's dress. He clenched his fist and started walking towards them. He saw Tanveer talking something to Zoya and her running away. He was enraged. He wanted to go and whack the living day lights out of Tanveer but decided otherwise and followed Zoya.
***(@)***
Zoya tried hard to wash the stains away from her dress but was unlucky. She looked at her favorite dress which is now covered with stains. Tears started flowing form her eyes as she walked back to down floor where her Aapi awaits her. She hadn't taken long steps when she found a hand on her upper arm pulling her to a room. She let out a yelp but was silenced by a strong hand on her mouth. Her eyes widen as she looked at the person in front of her. And she felt the pain returns.
Asad slowly moved his hand from her mouth and cupped her face instead while she protested.
" Shh... Zoya... Please give me a chance to explain... Before that I want you to change this dress. There is a dress I had kept for you in the bed. If you decided to give me a chance and ready to listen me, please wear that dress and come down. Please. I will be waiting for you..."
He slowly released her from his grip and started walking backwards towards the door. once he reached the door he turned and walked away casting a look at Zoya. She stood there rooted to spot. After a moment or so she turned towards the bed and saw an elegant suite with a dreamy combination of blue and white. She contemplated in her mind whether to wear that or not. There was internal war between her heart and mind and as usual her heart won.
***(@)***
Asad was nervous. Never in his life he was this nervous. He glanced at stairs each now and then. He felt his heart contrasting as his wait grew longer. He was about to give up his hope, when his eyes suddenly caught glimpse of an angel descending down the stairs. Man, she was looking ethereal! Asad's jaw dropped to ground as his eyes feasted on his own personal angel. He could see her Aapi and his mom going to her. He saw her smiling a little and looking at his direction. Her one look and he knew he had got his chance.
He elegantly walked towards the center of the hall taking mike in his hand.
"Hello everyone. I would like to tell you a story, a Coffee wala story. There was this boy who liked his espresso a lot. One cup of his black and bitter espresso and you can find him drifting back to his shell. No one dared to question him and his love for his coffee until one day. One fine day, a girl came into his life questioning his entire believes. She linked his black and bitter espresso with his life and showed him that how fun less his life was. She dared to sweeten his espresso. And the guy fell for her, real hard. He realized that his coffee girl means a lot to him. He wanted to tell her that, but never got the chance as they drifted apart even before they became one. Now he is getting another chance, to tell whatever he feels. And this time he won't let his coffee girl go away. Without her, his favorite black and bitter coffee also won't be tasteful."
He paused for a second as he tried to read her expression. Tears were flowing from her eyes. He took a step towards her.
"Zoya, you are the girl who had evoked such feelings in me for the first time. If you are the price I will be getting if I forsake my black and bitter coffee and life, then I am ready to do that. I am sorry for every pain you had gone through. What you saw on that day was not true. I didn't betray you. Tanveer is not my fianc. Hell, she is not even my love. I had loved you from the very moment I saw you. When you smile, my whole world lit up and when you cry I feel like I am falling to a never ending abyss. Please Zoya please forgive me for the pain I caused you. Please"
As Asad finished speaking, silence prevailed in the area for some moments. Everyone was trying to process what was happening including Zoya. She looked at Asad who was looking at her with love filled eyes.
Tanveer was shocked with Asad's confession. She gritted his teeth in anger as she saw Asad and Zoya's eyelock. She can't let Asad go away from her grip, decided Tanveer. She always gets what she wants and this time also will be the same.
She walked towards Asad and Zoya who are now only inches apart. She held Asad's forearm and pulled him away from Zoya.
"What the hell Asad? What are you telling? Don't you know that I love you? Did you forget that we are betrothed to each other from the moment we born? And you dare to forsake our relation for this wretched girl?"
And that was the boiling point for Asad. He yanked his arms away from clutches and hovered above her menacingly.
"That's enough Tanveer. One more word about my Zoya and I will forget that you are my friend. I don't love you and if you may recall I had made my stand crystal clear to our parents. I love Zoya and Zoya only. Please leave me and let me live my life"
Tanveer was about to back answer him when she heard his father's voice across the hall.
"Tanveer beta, Asad is correct. Let him be with his love. He deserves it."
Tanveer was enraged seeing his own father taking Asad's side.
"How can you take his side papa? I am your kid not he"
"ENOUGH TANVEER. It's not about whose kid is who. It's about both of your life. I have known for long that Asad doesn't harbor such kind of feelings towards you. How many times I told you that. But you never listen to me. Its time you realize that. He was never yours. I won't let you both ruin your life just because of some stupid friendship pact me and Rashid created. No relation can be built upon using force. You always forced yourself upon him. Because of you he never had friends but still he didn't tell anything to anyone as he doesn't wanted to upset others. But the truth is Asad doesn't love you. He loves Zoya. It would be better if you get that into the thick head of yours. If not, I know how to make you understand that"
If there is only thing Tanveer was scared of, it was her father's anger. Her father rarely showed his anger, but when he is angry, she could compare it with lava emanating from a volcano which will burn down everything on its way. As she processed her father's words, she realized that she had taken him for granted in such a way that she never actually cared for what he thought and what he felt. Being the rich spoilt brat she is, all she had done was creating her own selfish world where everything goes in her own accord. One look at her father and she knew her life will never be the same. She could see a resolve in her father's eye, a resolve to mend his daughter's ways.
While Zoya stood there perplexed at the sudden turn of events, her Aapi was happy for her sister. She knew Asad was perfect for her Zoya and he once again proved that.
***(Flashback Starts)***
It was an afternoon. Zoya had left for market to some buy groceries. Zeenat was busy in arranging tables expecting a crowd of customers in the evening when suddenly she heard the door opening. She was not expecting any customers as it was an odd hour to drink coffee. She smiled at herself as she remembered, a coffee lover will always be a coffee lover and he or she doesn't care about time to have their favorite cup of coffee. Cleaning her hands she turned around only to find Mr. Rashid and Mrs. Dilshad. She greeted them with a heartwarming smile as she exclaimed.
"Mr. & Mrs. Rashid! What a pleasant surprise. Come have a seat."
Rashid and Dilshad smiled at this and they looked back. A confused Zeenat followed his suite. There were 2 guys and 1 girl whom Zeenat assumed to be their kids.
"Zeenat, this is Asad, Ayaan and Najma, our kids."
Zeenat welcomed them inside with a smile as everyone settled in a corner table.
"What can I get for you? Espresso, Latte, Capp..."
She was cut short by Rashid who motioned her to take a seat along with them. After a moment's hesitation she did what they told. She looked at the people in front of them expectedly. As she scrutinized everyone' facial expressions, she could see the guy named Asad looking at surroundings nervously as if he is searching someone. That's odd, thought Zeenat. Her thoughts were broken as Rashid cleared his throat.
"Can you give us your sister?"
Zeenat's eyes widen at this remark. All she could mutter at that moment was;
Excuse me"
As Rashid found it difficult to explain to her, Dilshad took charge of the situation.
"Zeenat, we are here with an alliance for Zoya. Actually, my elder son Asad likes her a lot. He has seen her before. So he wants to get married to her. What say you?"
Zeenat was still relieving in shock. The Khans want to have Zoya as their daughter in law. Zeenat felt she is mocking. But one look at the onlookers face and she was confirmed that they were serious. As an Aapi, she was on cloud nine. She knew for sure that they will keep her Zoya happy. Zoya! As Zeenat remembered her name Zoya's condition for the past 1 week came into her mind. She had changed a lot. She often locks her up in her room, not concentrating on her health. She had often heard sobbing from Zoya's room late night. Zeenat was clueless as to what had happen until today.
Today morning they had a heart to heart talk where she revealed that she fell in love with a guy who was betrothed to someone else. Her poor sister was entirely heartbroken. It took Zeenat's all energy and coxing to put some sense into her and bring back at least a portion of the old Zoya. And now this proposal, Zeenat was sure that Zoya won't agree. She looked at the people in front of her who were expecting an answer from her. She sighed dejectedly.
"We are honored with your proposal. I am still shocked. I know you will take care of my Zoya very well. But..uhm... it can't happen."
There was silence everywhere as she told this. Asad was hell-shocked hearing that. He found himself asking the question.
"But why?"
Zeenat looked at the guy in front of her. He was shivering with anticipation. She could see hurt in his eyes.
"Well. I am not supposed to tell you this. But... I think you deserve to know. My sister had recently gone through heartbreak. The first man whom she ever loved turned out to be a committed person. He made her believe that he also had feelings to her through gestures and one fine day reality came crashing down as a girl came introducing herself as his fianc. My poor Zoe. She was devastated. For the past one week, she is not the same Zoya I know. All left is her shadow."
As Zeenat finished saying this, she tried to fight back a tear that threaten to resurface.
Asad was happy yet sad hearing this. One part of Asad was dancing in joy knowing that she loved him, that too her first love. But the other part, it wept, wept knowing that his Zoya had to go through such terrible pain because of him. And without his knowledge, tears escaped from his eyes as he recalled their moments.
"Aapi. Would you hate me if I say that I am the person behind Zoya's heartbreak?"
He saw her looking at him firstly with confusion, then it turned into anger as she registered what he meant. He could see her getting up from the seat to blast at him. Before she could do that he got up from the seat and stood in his knees in the floor. He could see everyone amused with action as his family joined Zoya's Aapi.
"Please let me complete what I want to say. After hearing that you can decide whatever you want. I... I love Zoya. More than anything in this world. Before she came into my life, I was just living my life, not loving my life. But she came, and changed my entire world. She turned my bitter espresso into sweet espresso in the very first meeting here."
A sweet smile played in his lips as he went back to the memory lane.
"I was enthralled by her from the moment my eyes set on her. She may not be world's most beautiful girl, but she definitely is one of her kind. I love her fierceness with which she explained me the truth of life. I love the way she smiles, I love the way the dimple forms in her face, I love the way she talks with others, I love the way she cares for everyone, even stray dogs. I love the way she closes her mouth while laughing, I love the way her eyes lit up when she is happy and excited. I had met her only two times, but in those times she managed to capture a place in my heart, a place that I have never given to anyone before. She is my first and last love."
Zeenat was moved with whatever she heard from the boy standing in his knees before her. She saw him looking at her expectedly and she nodded him to continue.
"I know I had done wrong with her. I should have told her everything about Tanveer. But honestly, I had no idea that Tanveer will come at that time. I thought of asking Zoya to a date on that day. But even before I could process my thoughts, Tanveer came barging in thus breaking whatever me and Zoya managed to build. I was shocked when Tanveer introduced herself as my fianc. I wanted to scream at her but before I could say anything, Zoya left from there. I had gone behind her to clear everything but she was not ready to listen to me. For the past one week I tried a lot to contact her, but she ignored me always. I know I am being so desperate by involving my parents in this one. But I am desperate. I can't stay away from her. I need her in my life Aapi, more than she needs me. I can't live without her. Please give her to me. I will make sure that she never becomes sad again. I will shower her with all the love in this world. Please Aapi, please let me correct my mistake."
If anyone told Khan Family that the great Asad Ahmed Khan also cries, they wouldn't have believed that before, but now as they saw him crying in front of them like a kid who lost his favorite toy, they couldn't help but to join him in shedding tears. Ayaan and Najma rushed to their Bhaijan who was totally broken. The trio engulfed in a hug claiming relief from each other.
Zeenat was moved by whatever Asad told. She could make out easily that he loved Zoya a lot. But still she was confused with Tanveer's role. So she found herself asking;
"But what about Tanveer"
This time answer came from Rashid.
"Tanveer's dad and I are best friends. When Asad and Tanveer were kids we had decided that we would make them get married to each other. So they grew up hearing this. But as Asad grew up, he realized that he can never see Tanveer in that way. He had even told that thing to me and Mofis Misra, Tanveer's dad. Since our kids' lives were important, we had to agree to him. But all this while what we ignored was Tanveer's growing possessiveness about Asad. She would never allow anyone to be close to him. Due to this my Asad doesn't had much friends in his school days and college. We even told her to forget whatever we said in the childhood. But she was not ready. She started claiming herself as Asad's fianc to everyone. My Asad didn't told this to anyone as he feared it will affect the already worsen health of his Mofis uncle. But when he realized that he no longer can live without Zoya, he told us. Now, rest is for you to decide"
As everyone's glances fell on her, Zeenat realized that she was never before faced a situation like this. She was glad for her sister but she knew Zoya is a stubborn ass and she won't ready to listen.
"Zoya won't listen"
And that one sentence was enough for Asad. He realized that Zoya's Aapi had accepted him. Wiping his tears, he detangled himself from his siblings and got up.
"That I will make her. You please bring her to party in my house tomorrow and please don't tell her where you are taking her. I don't want anything to go wrong this time."
Zeenat couldn't help but to smile at the boy in front of her. She slowly patted his head as if giving him her blessings.
***(Flashback ends)***
Now looking back, Zeenat felt it was one of the best things she had done for her Zoya. She looked at Zoya who was looking at Asad with various emotions flickering in her face. Zeenat sent a silent prayer to almighty to keep her little Zoya always happy.
Asad turned around only to find a teary Zoya looking at him with guilt in his eyes. He smiled at her indicating her not to cry. This made her cry even more. Chuckling he spread his arms wide inviting her to his embrace. She looked at his Aapi who in turn nodded her to go ahead. Smiling through tears she launched herself upon him while he held onto her closer. He took spins after spins with her in his arms, her legs hanging in air. After a minute or so he gently let her foot touch the ground still not letting her go form his embrace. Finally he parted himself from her. He cupped her face drying away the tears with his knuckles. He looked into her baby brown eyes which held ocean of love for him.
"I decided that I want my black and bitter coffee to be sweet for the rest of my life. So, will you be my sweetener?"
Her baby brown eyes widened in response. More tears found its way. Still sobbing, she asked;
"Why me?"
He chuckled at her question. He bent down his head as his lips settled a few centimeters apart from hers.
"Because it's a cup of coffee and much more..."
124